This Jalapeño Lime Crema blends sour cream with cilantro, lime, fresh jalapeño, garlic, and a little honey. It is tangy and herbaceous, with enough body for dipping but a consistency that is still easy to drizzle.
If you enjoy creamy pepper sauces, try my Easy Poblano Cream Sauce next.
🔍 At a Glance
- ⏱️ Ready in: 5 minutes
- 👥 Yields: About 1 cup
- 📌 Main Ingredients: Sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, and fresh lime
- 🔥 Cook Method: No cook—food processor
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Creamy, tangy, herbaceous, garlicky
- 📝 Great For: Tacos, bowls, chips, fresh vegetables
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Sour cream adds thickness: Lime juice loosens it slightly, so the crema is thick enough for dipping but still easy to spoon or drizzle.
- Honey balances the lime and jalapeño: One teaspoon softens the sharp acidity and heat without making the sauce noticeably sweet.
- The food processor does most of the work: Once the onion is chopped and the cilantro is washed and dried, add everything to the processor and pulse until smooth.
Ingredients & Why They Matter
- Cilantro: Use 1 packed cup of leaves and tender stems. The stems have plenty of flavor and blend smoothly.
- Sour cream: Two-thirds cup, or 6 ounces, makes the creamy base. Substitute the same amount of plain Greek yogurt; any fat content will work, although the flavor and thickness may differ.
- White onion: One tablespoon adds savory depth without overpowering the cilantro and lime. Green or yellow onion can be substituted in the same amount.
- Jalapeños: Their heat varies from pepper to pepper. See the heat guide below for how to build the spice level gradually.
- Garlic: Two fresh cloves give the uncooked crema a noticeable savory bite.
- Lime juice: One tablespoon adds acidity and loosens the sour cream slightly without making the crema runny.
- Honey: One teaspoon rounds out the lime and jalapeño without making the crema noticeably sweet. White sugar can be substituted in the same amount.
- Morton kosher salt: One-quarter teaspoon seasons the entire batch. Substitute 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Adjust the Heat
Start with one whole jalapeño, including its seeds and membranes, then taste the blended crema. Add the second pepper only if you want more heat. For a milder sauce, remove the seeds and white membranes before blending; if you are very sensitive to spice, you can also begin with half of a seeded jalapeño.
Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive to chile peppers, and avoid touching your eyes while handling them.
Jalapeño Lime Crema Step by Step
- Add the ingredients. Place the cilantro, sour cream, chopped onion, one jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, honey, and salt in the food processor.
- Pulse until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed so all of the ingredients reach the blades. Continue pulsing until the crema is evenly green and smooth. Taste, then blend in the second jalapeño if you want more heat.
💡Bri’s Best Tip
Dry the cilantro thoroughly after washing it. Because this is a small batch, even a little rinse water can noticeably thin the crema and dilute its flavor.
Pro Tips for Smooth Jalapeño Lime Crema
- Scrape down the processor bowl: Cilantro, garlic, and onion can stick above the blades. Pause between pulses so everything blends evenly.
- Chop, then measure the onion: Raw onion is strong in an uncooked sauce. Chopping it first makes it easier to measure accurately and helps it blend evenly.
- Make it ahead: The cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and onion continue to flavor the sour cream as the crema rests in the refrigerator.
- Chill leftovers promptly: Transfer the crema to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Stir before serving if a little liquid separates.
What To Serve With Jalapeño Lime Crema
- On tacos: Drizzle it over Short Rib Barbacoa Tacos, Steak Street Tacos, or Ground Beef Soft Tacos.
- On rice bowls: Spoon it over Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls or use it to finish a homemade burrito bowl.
- With fajitas: Serve it as a cool, creamy topping for these Grilled Chicken Fajitas.
- As a dip: Pair it with tortilla chips, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, or other fresh vegetables.
Jalapeño Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 1 cup cilantro packed, leaves and tender stems
- 2/3 cup sour cream 6 ounces; or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon white onion chopped; or green or yellow onion
- 1-2 jalapeños whole; remove seeds and membranes for less heat
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the ingredients. Place the cilantro, sour cream, chopped onion, one jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, honey, and salt in a food processor.1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems2/3 cup sour cream1 tablespoon chopped white onion1 jalapeño2 cloves fresh garlic1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 teaspoon honey1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- Pulse until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed so all of the ingredients reach the blades. Continue pulsing until the crema is evenly green and smooth. Taste, then blend in the second jalapeño if you want more heat.
Notes
- Cilantro: Use 1 packed cup of leaves and tender stems. Wash and dry it thoroughly so rinse water does not thin the crema.
- Jalapeños: Start with 1 whole jalapeño and taste before adding the second. Remove the seeds and membranes for less heat; if you are very sensitive to spice, start with 1/2 of a seeded pepper.
- Salt alternatives: Substitute 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt.
- Blend until smooth: Chop the onion before measuring it. Scrape down the food processor as needed so the cilantro, onion, and garlic reach the blades.
- Make ahead and storage: The flavor develops as the crema rests. Refrigerate it promptly in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and stir before serving if a little liquid separates. I have not tested freezing and do not recommend it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
Mexican crema is typically thinner and milder than sour cream. This recipe uses sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, onion, garlic, and honey to create a thicker, flavored sauce with a crema-like consistency.
More Mexican Recipes
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Absolutely amazing recipe! Simple, but has so much flavor. It tasted similar (or even better) to the crema on “authentic” tacos when traveling internationally. The only changes I made was adding 2x the lime juice recommended AND 1/4 cup of heavy cream to further thicken the mixture. I also used 2 jalapeños. I plan to experiment a bit and change out the jalapeño peppers for habanero or scotch bonnet to see if I can get an alternative profile. One of the best recipes I have discovered!
One of the best sauces Ive found on the internet.
We have a local restaurant that serves a home-made lime crème with their tacos, and I was looking for a recipe to replicate. This tasted even better than the restaurant one!
Great recipe. I’m one of those “cilantro tastes like soap” people so I substituted it with parsley. So delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Being a supertaster can be a bummer when it comes to certain cuisines. Instead of substituting parsley for the cilantro, consider adding a little bit of chopped garden mint and a littler bit of fresh basil to give you a little of that ciltro-ish “brightness” along with the color.
Great idea!
Saving this one for my next taco night! Love how quickly it comes together.
I made this sauce for taco night last night and it was delicious!
This is such a simple recipe and I love it. I plan to try it tonight subbing our the sour cream and honey for vegan options!
This is perfect for our Mexican-themed dinner nights. A great topping for tacos, nachos and more.
This sauce is amazing. We make it whenever we make tacos, burrito bowls, etc and it is a must now for us! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!
Love to hear it!
Made these exactly as the recipe called for and they are fabulous! Reminds me of shrimp tacos we get in Puerto Vallarta! I didn’t include the jalapeño seeds to bring the spice down for my kid who doesn’t do too spicy, but could probably add a few seeds in next time. Authentic, super easy and great flavors and crunch. The whole family loved them and are such a quick week-night recipe!
Thank you so much Angela for the review! I am so glad it was a hit.